All articles tagged with #disasters
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck off Flores Island in Indonesia, killing at least 38 people and flattening many buildings as aftershocks followed; a tsunami warning was briefly issued before being lifted, and rescuers deployed helicopters and boats to reach affected areas while about 2,000 residents evacuated to shelters.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia’s Pacific coast, killing at least 239 people and wounding more than 3,700, with hundreds more missing as rescue crews search rubble from about 140 collapsed buildings and nearly 50,000 people left homeless. The death toll is expected to rise as recovery continues; international aid is flowing, including $15.5 million from the U.S. and urban search-and-rescue teams from Los Angeles County and Virginia’s Fairfax County joining Colombia’s response.
A tunnel blast at a hydropower project in India's Sikkim state killed 12 workers and left 13 others missing, prompting rescue operations and investigations into safety measures and emergency response.
A 49‑foot cabin cruiser carrying 20 people for a memorial service capsized in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island amid 5‑foot swells. The Coast Guard suspended the search for three missing after about 23 hours of pursuit across roughly 950 square nautical miles; one 79‑year‑old man died and 16 others were rescued (one dog also died). Investigators found no evidence of fire; the cause remains under investigation. The vessel is believed to rest about 130 feet deep, and recovery may depend on underwater access.
AP News surveys deadly earthquakes that have struck the Philippines, highlighting the latest tremor near General Santos that triggered rescue efforts while revisiting the country’s seismic history.
A deadly explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi's Qinyuan County on May 23, 2026 prompted rescue efforts and highlighted ongoing safety challenges in China's coal mining industry amid a spate of major accidents.
More than 200 people died when a landslide triggered by heavy rains struck the Rubaya coltan mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The site, controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel group, has had protective measures discouraged amid security concerns; around 70 of the dead were children, and many injured were evacuated to Goma. Rubaya accounts for about 15% of the world’s coltan, a key metal for electronics, and the disaster follows a similar fatal incident at the site last month.
New York City is bracing for a weekend storm forecast to drop 12–20 inches (potentially 24+), with a blizzard warning—the first since 2017—while the piece recalls the five largest NYC snowstorms since 1869: 2016’s 27.5 inches; 2006’s 26.9 inches; 1947’s 26.4 inches; 1888’s 21 inches; and 2010’s 20.9 inches, noting mass outages, travel disruptions, and fatalities in several storms.
Seven Chinese tourists were found dead after a tour bus plunged through the ice on Russia's Lake Baikal in Siberia; one passenger escaped, a criminal case was opened, and rescuers planned diving operations at about 18 meters depth.
A global photo gallery recaps last week’s major events, from Israeli air strikes in Gaza and casualties in Ukraine to protests, political developments, and disasters across continents, illustrating the human impact of ongoing conflicts and crises.
An explosion at Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas left at least one dead and 14 injured, with authorities saying the cause is under investigation; Iranian media provided few details and Tasnim rejected social-media claims that a Revolutionary Guard commander was targeted. Separately, four people were killed in a gas blast in Ahvaz, and the incident comes amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions and ongoing unrest in the country.
Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family died in a small plane crash in North Carolina, adding to a long history of aviation tragedies involving athletes across various sports, highlighting the risks associated with private flying.
Following a major earthquake in northern Japan, fake news and AI-generated videos spread rapidly on social media, often exploiting public anxiety and seeking attention or profit. Authorities warn against unverified information and advise relying on trusted sources to prevent misinformation from affecting disaster response and socio-economic stability.
Home insurance in the U.S. is becoming less affordable and less available due to rising disaster costs, climate change, and insurers pulling back from high-risk areas, impacting communities nationwide and prompting efforts to improve resilience and risk assessment.
The first half of 2025 was the most costly on record for US climate-related disasters, totaling $101 billion, driven mainly by wildfires in Los Angeles and severe storms, highlighting the increasing impact of climate change and the effects of policy changes on disaster response capabilities.